Tiny Devices of Explosive Meaning

Today we stumbled upon a marvelous testament to the power of magic words, in translator Linda Coverdale's introduction to the novel Street of Lost Footsteps. Coverdale discusses language "rich in allusions and wordplay, flickering with hidden significance, studded with tiny devices of explosive meaning that may burst upon the reader when least expected. This richness can be a form of economy: a single detail, like a magic word, might reveal an import far beyond its humble appearance."